


Needful

by Severina



Category: Stargate Universe
Genre: Community: writerverse, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-04-07 23:25:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4281954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Severina/pseuds/Severina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the crew of the Destiny readies to go into stasis, the two men in Chloe's life need her most.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Needful

**Author's Note:**

> Two ficlets presented as one story, because they are connected. Written for LJ's writerverse Quick Fic #6, for the prompts "watching the stars" and "book"
> 
> * * *

I.

He heads to the observation deck for a little solitude. Too many days spent with Greer and James hovering over him, too many nights with arms slung drunkenly over his shoulder as they stumble from Brody's makeshift bar. He needs silence. 

The stars stream past the window in Destiny's wake, and Matt thinks that he should find comfort in their permanence; a reminder that he is nothing but a speck in the incalculable expanse of space. Instead he only remembers standing at this same spot with his arm around Chloe's waist, and wonders how he will ever live without her.

 

II.

Rush frowned down over his notebook, brow furrowed. Checked and double-checked his figures. Finally gave in to his frustrations and flung the damn thing across the room.

Chloe raised a brow. "Feel better?"

"I've gone over it and over it," he clipped out. "I can't find an alternative way to—"

"That's because Eli's calculations are correct," she said. She rose from the bed, put her own book aside. "Three years from now—"

He snorted. "We hope."

"—we're going to wake from stasis into another galaxy. Destiny will resume her mission. Everything will be fine."

He shook his head. She thought – they all thought – that he was so against this plan because of the ship. His beautiful, glorious ship. He could never find the words to let her know of his true fear; that one of the stasis pods would fail, that he would awaken fresh and whole only to find her a dry and withered husk, nothing but bones and dust. How could he put that thought into her head, if it hadn't occurred to her already? 

"The risk—"

"Is one we're all going to take," she finished, lifted a shoulder. "Nick, we don't have a choice."

His arms found her waist, drew her close. He rested his cheek against her stomach, breathed in the sweet scent of her. In a moment he would rise, gather his notebook, start again from the beginning. He would find another way. He would not risk her life. 

He could not live without her.


End file.
